CWG Organising Committee chairman Suresh Kalmadi talks to the media after the CBI conducted a raid at his residence in New Delhi

The Congress and the UPA government left scam-tainted party MP and CWG Organising Committee chief Mr Suresh Kalmadi to fend for himself as the CBI raided Mr Kalmadi’s residences and offices in New Delhi, Mumbai and Pune on Friday over controversial Commonwealth Games deals.

Congress spokesman Abhishek Singhvi said the “party and the government have no connection in the raids (sic)”. Making it clear that the party is in no mood to come to the rescue of its beleaguered functionary, Mr Singhvi said: “The law is equal for all. There is no question of backing anybody.” Speculation is rife that following the raids pressure is likely to be mounted on Mr Kalmadi to step down as the CWG OC chairman. There are also whispers in party circles that the Congress high command might reconsider re-nominating Mr Kalmadi from the Pune Lok Sabha berth for the 2014 general elections.
Nearly three months after the CWG scam broke out, the CBI raided the Congress Lok Sabha MP’s homes and offices in Delhi, Mumbai and Pune. The raids, which began around 7 am, continued late into the afternoon. The officials also questioned Mr Kalmadi over various deals at his residence. After the raids, Mr Kalmadi’s close associates, Shekhar and P.K. Srivastava, were questioned by the CBI. Shekhar, however, was brought to CBI headquarters in Delhi. Mr Kalmadi is likely to be summoned shortly to CBI headquarters for questioning. The agency is set to make some “significant arrests” in connection with the CWG scam.
Sources disclosed that some contract documents with two firms, Event Knowledge Service (EKS) and Swiss Timing, who dealt with the time scoring and results system, were seized from Mr Kalmadi’s residence and office. During Friday’s “informal” questioning, the CBI asked Mr Kalmadi about the “procedure followed for the appointment of these two firms”. CBI has also recovered some “crucial documents” related to overlays contracts running into `700 crores. The CBI is expected to register a case on alleged irregularities in overlays contracts. However, some key files, relating to the OC delegation’s Beijing visit before the CWG, appointments of foreign consultants in the field of risk management and catering, remain missing. Mr Kalmadi maintained that the documents could be lying with some other investigating agency and if the CBI agreed his team could trace them.
The raids were conducted after the arrest of three of his colleagues — OC joint director-general T.S. Darbari, deputy director-general Sanjay Mohindroo and former treasurer Jayachandran — who had indicated that decisions for various controversial contracts were taken at the “highest level”. Mr Kalmadi, once regarded as one of the most influential Congress leaders, was delivered a body blow when the CBI raided his farmhouse at Khadakwasla near Pune and the “Sai Service” petrol station owned by him in Pune. The CBI also searched the premises of his personal secretary Manoj Bhure in Pune. His wife Meera was inside “Kalmadi House”, located off the arterial Karve road in west Pune.
Talking about the raids, CBI spokesperson Bineeta Thakur said the premises of Mr Kalmadi were searched “as part of the ongoing investigation into the allegation of award of video installation work for the Queen’s Baton Relay to a London-based private firm at inflated rates.” Among other items, four computers and certain documents were also seized. The agency has also recovered files related to the controversial scoring contracts. Meanwhile, with the raids, the Congress and the Manmohan Singh government, cornered on the 2G scam by the Opposition, sent out a tough political signal — that it was in no mood to spare its own partymen on issues of corruption.
Mr Kalmadi, known for his proximity to the “powers” in the party high command, fell from grace after he was hit by the CWG scandals. The Congress had earlier swiftly removed him as CPP secretary.
Sources disclosed that Mr Kalmadi also finds himself isolated as one of his close allies, agriculture minister and NCP chief Sharad Pawar, had refused to come to his aid. That the party and the government were all set to crack the whip became evident when both Congress president Sonia Gandhi and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh declared at the recent Congress Plenary Session that there would be “no compromise on the issue of corruption”.
After the raids, a visibly shaken Mr Kalmadi tried to put up a brave front and claimed he was “not hurt about the raids and wanted to cooperate with the CBI”. However, pointing fingers at others, Mr Kalmadi added: “I have not taken any decision alone. All decisions have been taken by the executive board.” “I am innocent till proven guilty,” he said.
The BJP, as expected, maintained its aggressive stance on the issue and described the raids as “too little too late”. So far the CBI has filed three FIRs in connection with the alleged irregularities in the CWG and searched the residences of OC director-general V.K. Verma and Bhanot on November 30. While one case is related to a `107-crore deal struck with a Swiss score-keeping firm, the agency had registered two other FIRs in connection with the contract given to AM Films for Queen’s Baton Relay ceremonies by the OC in London.